BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

BOMMAI, SHRI S. R

B.A., LL.B.; J.D. (Karnataka): s. of Shri Rayappa Bommai and Shrimati Shivamma Bommai; b. at Karadigi, Shiggaon Taluk of Dharwad District, Karnataka, June 6, 1924; ed. at Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum and Bombay University; m. Shrimati Gangamma, May 30, 1951; 2 s. and 2 d.

Social and Political Worker; practised as an advocate for thirty years; actively participated in movements during college days, such as radical humanist movement, farmers movement, social welfare movement and consumers movement and took interest in the people's movement in the princely States, took part in the `Quit India Movement' (1942); became member of Radical Democratic Party since its inception in 1942; played an important role for consolidation of the opposition parties prior to 1977 and thereafter; played a crucial role in the formation of the Janata Dal and presided over Bangalore Foundation Conference where the Janata Dal was born; was President, (i) Hubli Dharwad Central Cooperative Wholesale Stores, 1968-76, (ii) Rotary Club, Hubli, 1974-75, (iii) Karnataka State Janata Party, 1981-83 and (iv) All India Janata Dal, 1990-96; was Vice-President, Karnataka State Unit of the Janata Party; was Chairman, (i) Governing Body of the Kotambari Law College and (ii) Public Accounts Committee, Karnataka Legislative Assembly; Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests; Secretary, All Party Goa Vimochana Samiti, Hubli; Founder Member, Rotary English Medium School, Hubli; Senator, Karnataka University, Dharwad, 1960-65; Member, (i) Executive Committee, All India Janata Dal, (ii) Political Affairs Committee, Janata Dal, (iii) Parliamentary Board, Janata Dal, (iv) Karnataka Liberal Education Society, Belgaum, (v) Legislative Assembly, Karnataka, 1967-71 and 1978-89, (vi) Legislative Council, Karnataka, 1972-78, (vii) Committee on External Affairs, 1993-96 and (viii) Ethics Committee, Rajya Sabha; Leader of Opposition, (i) Legislative Council, Karnataka, 1976-78 and (ii)Legislative Assembly, Karnataka, 1978-80; was Cabinet Minister, Government of Karnataka, holding the portfolios of Industries and Commerce, Finance, Revenue, Planning and Institutional Finance and Irrigation; sworn in as Chief Minister, Karnataka, August, 1988; Union Cabinet Minister for Human Resource Development, June, 1996 to March, 1998; elected to the Rajya Sabha in July, 1992 and re-elected in April,1998.

Clubs : Century Club, Bangalore Club, Karnataka Golf Club, Bangalore and India International Centre, Delhi.

Travels abroad : Widely travelled all over the world.

Special interest : Reading, writing articles and social work.

Favourite pastime and recreation : Reading and travelling.

Permanent address : 52, 1st Main, Adarsh Nagar, Hubli (Karnataka).